In a known construction of a piezoelectric igniter, a piezoelectric transducer is accomodated in a housing, open at one end and guiding a hammer which is movable towards the transducer and which co-operates with an energy storing spring, which may be compressed and torsioned under the influence of an actuating cap and which comprises a laterally protruding locking pin, engaging in L-shaped recesses of the housing and traversing apertures of the actuating cap which are respectively provided with a slant cam surface.
Such a known piezoelectric igniter allows a sudden release of the energy storing spring which accelerates the hammer and causes the same to impinge on the piezoelectric transducer with a definite speed. The housing and the actuating cap of such a known igniter are manufactured from stamped sheet metal parts. Such an igniter has a poor lifetime and a low conversion efficiency of converting mechanical into electrical energy.